Japanese New Year Activities 2013

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Japanese New Year Activities (Please arrange your program on your own.)

Let's celebrate New Year in Japan. From Monday, December 30th 2013 until Friday 3rd January 2014 Asahi Nihongo offers various New Year cultural activities. During this week you will have the unique chance to take part in many events and to get to know the Japanese intimately in their most important and most favored holiday season.

You can download your application form for "Japanese New Year Activities" here.

Japanese New Year Activities 2013:

Japanese New Year Seminar
Date: Monday, 30 Dec / Time: 10:00 / Fee: Free / Place: Asahi Nihongo

Tenjin Tour
Date: Monday, 30 Dec / Time: 13:00 / Fee: Free / Place: Tenjin

New Year Greeting Card
Date: Monday, 30 Dec / Time: 16:00 / Fee: 500 Yen / Place: Asahi Nihongo

Bonenkai Party
Date: Monday, 30 Dec / Time: 18:30 / Fee: 3500 Yen / Place: Tenjin

Nanzoin's Sleeping Buddha
Date: Tuesday, 31 Dec / Time: 11:00 / Fee: 3000 Yen / Place: Sasaguri-machi

New Year's Eve Soba
Date: Tuesday, 31 Dec / Time: 17:30 / Fee: Pay for yourself / Place: Tenjin

Rice Cake Ceremony
Date: Tuesday, 31 Dec / Time: 19:00 / Fee: Free / Place: Hakozaki-Gu

Hatsumode Dazaifu Tour
Date: Wednesday, 01 Jan / Time: 11:00 / Fee: 3500 Yen / Place: Dazaifu

First Onsen of 2014
Date: Wednesday, 01 Jan / Time: 16:00 / Fee: 700 Yen / Place: Yu no Hana

Yakiniku
Date: Wednesday, 01 Jan / Time: 17:30 / Fee: 3500 Yen / Place: Tenjin

"Jigoku Meguri" Tour
Date: Thursday, 02 Jan / Time: 09:00 / Fee: 9000 Yen / Place: Beppu

Yatai (Local Food Stands)
Date: Thursday, 02 Jan / Time: 18:30 / Fee: Pay for yourself / Place: Tenjin

Multi-Language Karaoke
Date: Thursday, 02 Jan / Time: 20:00 / Fee: 2500 Yen / Place: Tenjin

Sansha-mairi (Lunch is included)
Date: Friday, 03 Jan / Time: 11:00 / Fee: 2500 Yen / Place: East Fukuoka

New Year & Farewell Party
Date: Friday, 03 Jan / Time: 18:00 / Fee: 3500 Yen / Place: Fish Restaurant Zauo

Japanese Fireworks (Hanabi)

In Germany it`s illegal to buy fireworks during any time of the year other than right before New Year`s. And usually that`s also the only time you get to see them.

In Japan fireworks are treated very differently and take place during summer. The “hanabi” itself is the main event (not just part of a closing ceremony). In August I went to see the “Oohori Fireworks” which are an annual event that is well known throughout all of Japan and attracted around 450.000 visitors last year. Many people dress in a Yukata for that occasion and reserve seats hours before the official start.

This year it started at 08:00 pm and I was getting worried about missing most of it, because my friends and I were running late when someone told me that it ends at 09:30 pm.

That`s one and a half hours of fireworks and if you get hungry you can buy something from the many food stalls that pop-up everywhere just for this day.

Every year they launch around 6000 rockets and the result is amazingly beautiful. No matter where you turn, there are people standing around or sitting on the ground. Some people who have obviously been sitting there since the early morning and some who are craning their neck trying to catch a glimpse of the show.

New Year’s Day

New Year’s Day is a very important time for the Japanese. Most shops will be closed on New Year’s Day, and many people will have the day off.

On new year’s, many people will visit a shrine, to pay respect for the new year (this is called hatsumode - first shrine visit of the year)
While there, many people will also receive their fortune for the new year, buy new charms, and the larger shrines will also have food stalls & some playground games.
For the week after new years, many shops will have New Year’s sales. Many people come to these events, so many shops quickly become crowded.

For New Year’s, I went and visited the Dazaifu shrine with my friends. Dazaifu is one of the more popular shrines in Fukuoka, so many people were there paying their respects. Thankfully we went in the evening, so there weren`t as many people. (many people also arrive at midnight, even though they may have to wait in line for hours)

While there, we all received our fortune. I received great luck (daikichi), and after that, we ate takoyaki, yakisoba & squid.

In the days following the New Year’s, all the shops in town were congested, with many people there for the sales. We decided to return on the weekend, when it would be less full.

The New Year’s Day in Japan is one of the best New Year’s I’ve experienced, and I’d recommend people experience it as well.

Sakurazaka Opening Party!!! ^^

Hey guys! We are celebrating the opening of our new campus at Sakurazaka!!! We would like to invite you and your friends to join us for an awesome BBQ party! Come take a look at our wonderful campus, walk around the beautiful Sakurazaka area, enjoy great food and drinks, and make new friends!

















Interested in joining us for this party? Come have some fun!
Details and directions are here:
http://japanese-school-asahi.com/en/activities-and-events/646-sakurazaka-opening-party

See you all there!!! (^o^)v

Yamakasa

July is just around the corner and the summer festivals will start soon.  The air on the city has been infected with the very traditional Yamakasa festivities which start on the 1^st and finish on the 15^th of July with an exciting and difficult one ton float race around the area of Gion. Kushida shrine is the place where all these floats will begin their race and it is the main host for this event.

This particular festival has been a symbol for the people in Fukuoka for a long time and it has also been designated as an “Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property”

During the festival in the daytime, the eight official floats with twelve great flags hoisted on the four large ones are carried for a parade, followed by some small floats for children. But in the nighttime, the floats are completely transformed into pyramids of light—huge Lantern Yamakasa floats, their decorations with the flags removed. Each with twelve layers of 309 lanterns, 10 meters high, and 1.5 tons in weight, is shouldered by about 100 carriers.

To move the Yamakasa is an art which requires concerted lifting by all the carriers. To ensure that they do it successfully, they all shout "yoitosa, yoitosa" together in a rhythmic chant with drums and cymbals.

I have been living in Fukuoka for almost 3 years, I have been to the festival once and I thought, I have not been a very good visitor as I had missed the festival twice before.  To my surprise, out of about a 100 people I asked about Yamakasa, I can confidentially say that only 10 percent of them mentioned ever witnessing the race in person.  This was shocking to me as the Yamakasa festival is one the most famous around Japan.  Some of them said the starting time of the race is too early for the ones who have jobs and for some students as well.  A lot of people told me since they can see it on TV; they do not think it is necessary to be present to witness this particular and exciting event.

I joined the Yamakasa event with the Asahi Nihongo`s staff and students last year and it was one the most exciting races I had ever witnessed.  If you are in Fukuoka this time of year, I highly recommend watching the race in person as it is truly Japanese.

Hanami Party!

On the 31st of March we had our Hanami Party and many students joined us. The weather report said that the 31st of March will be a rainy day, but the weather was nice! The cherry tree was almost in full bloom.!☆

 We had a quiz and a rock, paper, scissors game. It was a good time and all the students had fun☆

Please click http://goo.gl/Jbkns for more pictures on our facebook page!☆　

Sakura Party

Spring is the most beautiful  season in Japan! Cherry blossom is called "Sakura" in Japan.From the end of March to middle of April, Sakura blooms all over Japan. While looking at it in the park, we eat, drink and enjoy.And we play games together with Ritter school students. You can practice Japanese, and enjoy the party.Hanami party will hold at Maidzuru park which is famous for its Sakura.Every Spring, thousands of Sakura blooms at it.Thousands of it blooms there in spring every year.

The application deadline of this activity is March 23(Fri)!!
Let's enjoy international Hanami party together, and feel a wonderful spring of Japan!

Hanami party: March 31th (Sat) 12:30-16:00

A waterfall activity!!

A waterfall training activity was held at Yoro Waterfall on Sep.15th.
Alex, Samantha, Joyce, Peter and I(Kentaro) participated in it.First of all. They changed their clothes. These clothes suited them very well!Then, we got used to the coldness of the water by slowly putting our feet in it.The water was very cold because it is september. Next, we put our hands together and bowed to the shrine. Before standing under the waterfall, we each threw salt in three directions(to our right,to our left and in front of us).Finally, we entered the water with exclamations for self-encouragement.Then we chanted "On barodaya sowaka" in a loud voice while standing under the waterfall.This phrase is Sanskrit used to call for an Indian water god. This is Alex standing under the waterfall. Their faces after waterfall training looked refreshed.According to the priest's story, waterfall training is done only in Japan.Please participate in a waterfall training because you can't experience it outside Japan.

Sayonara-Party @ "Beer Garden"

On Thursday the, 10th of August, the co-workers of Asahi Nihongo went to Beer Garden at 7pm
to have a 1,5h non-stop dining and drinking-session.
It was Michael`s Sayonara Party. After a 6 months at Asahi Nihongo, he`ll finally leave Fukuoka on Thursday next week. But also Antonia will leave Fukuoka on Monday, after a one-month-stay.


That evening, we all had a lots of fun, especially the guys who kept drinking one beer after another. Time passed by fast and finally after the short one-and-a-half-hours we left the Beer Garden.

Afterwards some part of group went to some kind of Izakaya to continue the drinking.
So the evening went on and finally late at night the "party-session" found an end...


Goodbye Michael! We will miss you!

Welcome Party 05-07-2011 Nice to meet you!

Good food, good friends, meeting new friendly people, improving your Japanese and having a good time. That's how we make our students feel at home. We have one of these parties every first Friday of the month and as always last Friday was nicely crowed and fun. We had a nice mix up of people resulting in a large amount of business cards that were traded and friendships being formed. Our team of cooking sensei's did an awsome job in putting some amazing okonomiyaki and other foodstuffs on the table. There wasn't a person around who didn't like the food.

We would like to thank everyone for coming to the party. Also, we would like to Invite you already for the next time and thank our staff for making sure our stomachs were filled and organising the event. See you next time!

Gyoza Asahi Nihongo Style! 29-7-2011

Want to try the most delicious Gyoza? You should take some classes at our school and wait for Fridays lunchdays. Every week we have lunch and this week the lunch existed of garlic, meat and vegetables wrapped in doughy goodness. It was delicous. Everybody could join helping to make the Gyoza so there were a few foreign forms, nevertheless this did not ruin the taste.

Our staff did an amazing job as always and I believe nobody left without a full stomach and a fullfilled feeling.

Lunch with the school! 22-7-2011

Today we had lunch with everyone in school. Because of this I am typing the small blog entry whilst having a serious after dinner dip. That Tonkatsu was really good! This activity has it all. Food, people, chatting, laughter. more food and fun. Join us next time when we have lunch. You won`t regret it!

BBQ Party!!

This past weekend was absolutely beautiful and was so far the best weekend to experience the beach and the beautiful sea. On Sunday the 17th of July we all from Asahi Nihongo and Ritter school had a BBQ at Fukuma Beach here in the beautiful city of Fukuoka.

We were lucky to have so many of our staff, interns, and students come out and enjoy the fantastic weather here on Fukuma beach and share a memorable summer day that we experienced together.
The great BBQ chef, also the great intern of Asahi Nihongo Abe and a student favorite Shinchiro Kojaku San were in charge of all food cooking and did a wonderful job providing us with delicious meat and vegetables fresh off the grill. They worked hard all day and were committed to producing the best for all staff, students, and interns. We were highly appreciative for the great food and enjoyed watching them cook.
Many connections were made on this beautiful day as the pictures illustrate. Salsa lessons where conducted and instructed by Mauricio Sensei of Ritter school. About 30 of us participated in Salsa lessons and dancing. We all did our best to catch the steps of this sensual and exotic dance and it also helped socially lubricate the beginning of our day here at Fukuma Beach. This part of the day was great and we would like to thank our teacher Mauricio Sensei for being patient and fun.
I guess we can all say that after finishing this day we can reflect and think about what is really important. Our day here at Fukuma Beach has I think allowed many of us to come to a realization that finding a way to enjoy our lives in this ever changing world that is continuously in the motions of globalization is the utmost important aspect of living a healthy and sound life.
Author ～ Miles Harry

'Karuta' Mini-Party

We welcomed 4 university students, who are also the planning committee members of Fukuoka World City 2011. They entertained Asahi Nihongo students with Japanese 'Karuta' card. Both students enjoyed playing it with laugh and sometimes screaming with delight.
We hope they'll come and see us again.

Charity Concert

Let’s go to a charity concert together!!!

"Natsumi Kuboyama" will hold a piano concert for victims of disasters. Natsumi is a famous pianist. Her family is one of Asahinihongo’s host families and she was also a student at Ritter school. She has held this charity concert for 7 years. “Yoshikazu Mera” will also participate in this concert. He is a famous Japanese singer (he sang the theme song of the Ghibli film “Mononoke Hime)

Outline
Date.........: Friday, 22 April 19:00-21:00
Place........: Shonen Kagaku Bunnka Kaikan Hall(takes 10mins on foot from the school)
Fee..........: \1000
Contact......: Maya Saito ( by the 19th of April ,Tuesday)

Program
18:15 Gather at Asahi Nihongo School
18:30 Doors Open
19:00 Concert Begins

Links
Official Homepage: http://www.japanese-school-asahi.com/
ル・セルクル　Official Homepage: http://ameblo.jp/le-cercle-music/
Yoshikazu Mera Official Homepage: http://www.lamela.co.jp

Contact
Japanese Language School Asahi
Yodo Bldg. 2F, 2-9-30 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-0041
Email: info@asahinihongo.com / Phone: +81-92-716 6212
Fax: +81-92-7166214 / Web: www.japanese-school-asahi.com
Contact person: Yuki Minami Emergency number: 090-1088-8834

★Carnival party★

We had a party which was a German traditional party on last Friday. Our teacher Sandra made German pancakes that put in slice of apples and cinnamon. It was so delicious and we painted on their face. Some people wore clown and witch’s costumes. Everyone seemed to enjoy the party.

Tea ceremony

Hi, I'm Satomi.
Today I'll talk about a Tea ceremony.This is a Japanese traditional culture activity.
Last week I went to a Tea ceremony, it was the first time in my life.
I went with Rachel, she is a high school student from Tasmania.

She wore a kimono(Japanese traditional clothes), made tea, and drank it. The tea taste a little bitter and for the last sip we have to make some noise.

This means I finished drinking the tea. But it was difficult for us.

When we attend the tea ceremony we have to sit up straight. At the end, our legs were numb.

The tea ceremony is a very elegant cultural activity. In Australia, there are some places with a traditional tea room.

I hope you are interested in Tea ceremony.

See you next week :)

Part-time job that's fun!

If you want to experience one of the Japanese festivals, called 'setsubun', you can wear a Setsubun costume. Last year, some students wore costumes and enjoyed themselves a lot.

Why don't you join and receive a gratuity fee! Please check the conditions below, and if you'd like to try this, please write your name down on the application list by the 9th of Jan.

*Students studying Japanese at Asahi Nihongo and staying in Fukuoka from Jan.16th till Feb.03.

*Students who can attend the following days:
-16th of Jan. from 14:00 till 15:30 Paid: 2000Yen
-21st of Jan. from 8:00 till 17:00 Paid: 10000Yen
-2nd of Feb. from 9:00 till 17:00 Paid: still unknown
-3rd of Feb. from 9:00 till 17:00 Paid: 10000Yen


The 16th Jan will be the orientation. You'll get information about Setsubun. At that time you'll learn your role and the costumes will be decided.

Christmas Camp in Yame

On December 24, I went Christmas camping to Yame with 15 Tasmanian students
and Alex san. We took train from Fukuoka station to Kurume,then we went to Joyo-cho,Yame
by Ground Work car. The first activity was "Sobauchi"experience in "Furusato Warabekan"
We divided into 3-groups and cooked Soba(buckwheat noodles) It was tasty!!
After that we made " Kami-koputa"(paper-helicopter), on which we wrote our

wish, and flew them. May all our wishes come true!! Next was Green Tea experience in
"Hotaru-Ishibashino yakata" We learned how to make good tea and drank together.
And then we went to Hoshinomura, and visited "Heiwanotoo". And finally Hot Spring which everyone looks forward. Girls seemed to be satisfied with outside hotspring. On the way to "Kawaguchitei" where we stayed, we did shopping and we cooked curry and rice and salad for dinner. After dinner we did some game and spread Futon. It was all for the 1st day.
On the next day we experienced making "Kadomatsu"(a pair of auspicious pine and bamboo decorations placed in front of a house during the New Year period) We brought the Kadomatsu back to our school.

It was really cold but was very much fun two days!!

Photos >>>>

Have you ever talk to Japanese politicians? This is your chance!

There will be an international information exchange event holding by Fukuoka prefecture assembly on 17th of January 2011.
This is your chance to meet with Japanese politicians and exchange your opinions!
Please register if you are keen to join!

Outline
********************************************************************
Date......:17th January 2011
Time.....:17:30-19:30
Place.....:New Otani Hotel, Address 1-1-2 Watanabe-douri Chuo-ku fukuoka
Tel.........:092-714-1111